The flesh, though is sweet: in fact, very sweet. The berries contain a protein called “monellin” which is about 3,000 times sweet than sugar (though estimates range wildly higher.)
The sweetness is only evident if the Serendipity Berries are eaten fresh. The protein loses its sweetness in the presence of heat or acids.
Serendipity berries grow on a shrub, whose tuber can also be used for thickening soups.
History Notes
Serendipity berries are native to West Africa.